2012 Track and Field

All-Ohio Outdoor T&F Preview

Beavers will send 11 athletes to All-Ohio Championships

April 13, 2012
By: Jordan Hill, sports information assistant

BLUFFTON, Ohio - Eleven Bluffton University track and field athletes will be competing
in the annual Division III All-Ohio Outdoor Championship on Saturday, April 14, 2012.
Unlike the Indoor Championship meet, where only the top 16 athletes in each event
are invited to compete, athletes must meet qualifying standards in their respective
events to be eligible to compete in the Outdoor Championship. If there is an event
in which a team does not have any qualified athletes, the team may choose to enter
one athlete in that event. Eight Bluffton athletes have met the qualifying standards
for their events and the coaches have selected three additional athletes to compete.

Two Bluffton women have qualified in field events. Senior thrower Megan Neal (Arlington) has qualified for two field events. First, she will compete in her premier
event, the hammer. With a season-best mark of 47.48 meters (155'9 feet), Neal is ranked 3rd
out of 35 competitors. She will also compete in the javelin, where her season-best
throw of 30.53 meters (100'2 feet) currently places her 18th out of 25 competitors.
Sophomore Julie Court (Galion) has qualified for the hammer. Her personal best mark of 30.70 meters (100'9
feet) places her 32nd in the field of 35. This will be her first time competing in
the All-Ohio Championships.

Three Bluffton women have qualified in track events. Sophomore Brandi Dominique (Wauseon) qualified for the meet with a personal-best time of 2:22.91. This is the
first she has qualified for the outdoor meet and she is ranked 14th in a field of
32 competitors. Sophomore Kayla Mullenhour (Delphos/Jefferson) will be making her second qualified appearance in the 400-meter
hurdles. Her personal-best time of 68.42 currently ranks her 8th out of 23 competitors.
Junior Alison Janzen (Whitewater, Kan./Remington) will cover the distance for the Bluffton women as she
has qualified in the 5,000-meters. Her personal-best time of 19:30.71 ranks her 30th
with a field of 35 competitors. This is her first time qualifying for the championship
meet.

Two freshmen have qualified in field events on the men's side. Jeff Parker (Bristol, Ind./Northridge) has qualified in the javelin. His personal-best mark of
50.20 meters (164'9 feet) currently ranks him 3rd out of 20 competitors. Travaun Reaves (Berkley, Mich./Berkley) will compete in the high jump. With a current mark of 6-00
feet, he is 15th in a field of 18 athletes.

On the track, senior Andy Chaffee (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston) has qualified for the 3,000-meter steeplechase. His personal-best
time of 10:25.38 ranks him 26th out of 31 competitors. Although this marks his third
appearance at the championship meet, it is the first time he has qualified.

Three additional athletes will represent Bluffton in the championship meet. Freshman
Jenna Strauss (Bridgeport) will compete in the 100-meter hurdles and the long jump. Senior Bryan Heckathorn (Hartville/Lake) will make his second outdoor All-Ohio appearance and compete in the
hammer. Freshman Ryan Schadewald (Lima/Bath) will compete in the 5,000-meters.

Ohio Wesleyan University will be hosting the event, with field events starting at
10 AM and track events starting at 12 PM.